Microwave energy, MWR, has been used in a variety of applications for conducting biological and medical research. In most applications, biological material is heated to an irreversible state so that examination of important biochemical substrates may be examined. More recently, the controlled application of microwave energy has been applied to biological tissues and matter in a way that does not denature or make irreversible the proteins contained in that sample.
MWR penetrates dielectric materials such as biological matter, and heats water molecules therein, turning the molecules into steam. The controlled application of MWR provides an efficient means for slightly elevating and holding the temperature of biological matter at a point above the normothermic level and beneath the temperature at which the biological matter is denatured by the steam heating of contained water.
The present invention incorporates information related to the distribution of microwave power in a process chamber as described by U.S. Pat. No. 3,263,052, entitled "Power Distribution System for Microwave Process Chambers", by Morris R. Jeppson and Franklin J. Smith. The Power Distribution System utilizes a "leaky waveguide" to provide uniform or controlled heating of the product being heated in the chamber. However, this system is not suited for use in heating biological matter because of the reflections and irregular heating patterns which are usually present within a chamber to which the leaky waveguide is attached. This is particularly true when the biological material is being heated. Therefore, it would be advantageous to have a system which could provide a uniform and controlled heating for biological matter.